


The Adventure of Argent Blaise

by DetectiveInspector_Caracal



Series: The Adventures of JS-983 [2]
Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle, Ship Series - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: ACD Stories Exist In-Universe, Alternate Universe - Brainships, Asexual Sherlock Holmes, Case Fic, Crossover, Gen, POV John Watson, Sherlock Holmes & John Watson Friendship, Sherlock Holmes Is A Spaceship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-06-02 13:39:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19442560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetectiveInspector_Caracal/pseuds/DetectiveInspector_Caracal
Summary: JS-983 has an uneventful few deliveries and John starts to think maybe that first dramatic detour was a fluke.Too bad, though. Once again, Holmes sidetracks them from their work - but this time, it’s chasing after a kidnapper.





	The Adventure of Argent Blaise

I sat back in my chair and stretched, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done. My new partner and I had managed to complete three timely and uneventful deliveries, which after our first disastrous assignment had me both relieved and hopeful for a continuing trend.

Holmes’ wide swings from tersely uncommunicative to streams of unbroken - albeit interesting and insightful - monologuing had continued as they’d begun, with no way to tell when he was going to switch from one mode to the other, nor to predict which facet of trivia he would be expounding on this time. I found myself adjusting remarkably quickly; it was somewhat like living in an unpredictable climate, where you never know on a given day if it was to be sunny or rainy, or possibly both. And the few times I managed, so far, to draw him out into a two-person discussion on a point had been both interesting _and_ reassuring. Despite my partner’s eccentricities, we seemed to get along well enough.

As of the conclusion of our latest delivery, Holmes had been in one of his quiet moods - or as I would never say aloud, “one of his sulks” - for the past two days, and I was content to let him alone until he came out of it. I had sent in the notice of our completion to CenCom and was idly calculating how quickly we could buy out Holmes’ contract if we kept up this kind of work when a chime indicated someone at the lift.

“We have a visitor,” Holmes remarked, somewhat unnecessarily - but with a notable display of interest, and _that_ got my attention. “I’m letting her up.”

“Who is it?”

“An excellent question.”

“Holmes.” I turned a glare to his column. “Please don’t tell me you just invited a stranger on board without even asking their _name_.”

“Very well, I won’t tell you.”

“Holmes….” I covered my face with my hands and inhaled deeply, praying to whatever deity might be listening to give me patience.

Just then, the lift doors slid open and I quickly stood, turning to look at our visitor. A short, broad-shouldered woman with dark skin and an elaborately braided but practical bun stepped out, wearing a non-descript jumpsuit under a leather jacket.

“Welcome aboard, Captain Pasternak.” Holmes greeted her with completely uncharacteristic pep. “What can we do for you?”

Our guest, apparently one Captain Pasternak, stopped dead at his addressing her by name and stared in shock and suspicion - at me, as the only available visible entity to lock eyes on. I took a stab in the dark that she had not introduced herself at all. But it appeared as though Holmes had known who she was, despite his cryptic responses to my own inquiries.

“Oh, no need to be concerned, Captain.” Holmes didn’t sound reassuring so much as dismissive. “After all, we are a perfectly ordinary Courier Services brain and brawn partnership, just as you are a perfectly ordinary merchant trader.”

Captain Pasternak narrowed her eyes at me. I tried very hard to look as though I knew what the hell was going on.

“I see,” she said, after an uncomfortably long pause. “As it happens, I am looking to travel to the Devomir system; would you happen to be heading in that direction?”

Holmes didn’t seem to have an immediate answer, so I thought it was my turn to reply, taking the initiative - and having it stripped away before I even pronounced the first syllable of _we_.

“It will be dangerous, you realize.”

“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow, glancing around and settling her gaze on one of the cameras. “You know what I’m after, then?”

“Of course. Why aren’t you taking your own ship?”

Captain Pasternak scowled. “I don’t want to involve my crew in… personal business.”

I had the distinct impression I was being left out; at least I didn’t have to continue acting as though I was involved. If I could have left the room without drawing attention back to myself, I would have.

“Personal, hmm? Very well, we’ll give you a ride out to your destination.”

My fingers twitched as I did my absolute best not to glare. I did, however, shoot a quick glance at the camera within my field of view, confident that it would convey the glare I was too professional to give in front of our… prospective client.

“I assume you will want to move out as quickly as possible.”

Captain Pasternak nodded. “My belongings are aboard my ship - just a single bag. It won’t take me long to fetch them.”

“Then we’ll notify the stature of our imminent departure and await your convenience.”

The lift door slid open. Taking the clear hint, the Captain nodded her agreement - to me, again, of course - and left.


End file.
